Target-throwing trap.



PATENTBD OCT. 16, 1906. E. D. FULFORD, DEOD.

M. FULFOBD. ADMINISTEATRIX.

TARGET THROWING TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1904.

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PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906 E. D. FULFORD, DEGD.

m. rULronn, ADMINISTBATBIK. TARGET THROWING TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJZG, 1904.

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E 0 0 Y M 0 M w W H J j E No. 833,381. PATENTED OGT.16, 1906. E. D.FULFORD, DBCD.

M. IULIOBD, ADMINISTBATRIX, .7 TARGET THROWING TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1904.

3 BHEETfl-SHEET 3.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ElLIJA'H D. FULFORD, OF UTIUA, NEW YORK; MATILDA FULFORD, AD-

MINISTRATRIX OF SAID ELIJ AH D. FULFORD, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN H.BROOKMAN AND CHARLES B. WARNER, OF CENTRAL CITY, IOWA.

TARGET-THROWING TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filad August 26, 1904. Serial No. 222,834-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH D. FULFORD,

bf Utica, in-the county of Oneida and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Target Throwing Traps; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference markedthereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of my resent invention is to provide an improvetarget-throwing trap which is simple and effective in construction andwhich, among other thin s, embodies the advantage of returning the trowing-arm to starting position automatically and resetting the devicefor a repetition of the throwing operation in a convenient and effectivemanner.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my improved trap inthe set position. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the same.

Figs. 3 to 9, inclusive, show details of the 0perative mechanism. Figs.10 to 14, inclusive, show, on an enlarged scale and in various details,the target-holder employed in connec tion with the'tra Referring to thereference characters in a more particular descri tion of the device, 1indicates a substantia ly circular base-plate mounted, by means ofsuitable le s or-feet, on a solid foundation, as 2. The pfate 1 supportsin an upright position the standard or column 3, which is adapted torotate on its verLical axis and is provided with an extension 3,affording a lever and handle by means of which the rotation of thecolumn on its vertical axis can be effected and controlled. The arm 3 isprovided'with a bolt-catch 4" and a springfor operating the same in onedirection and a, ban -lever 5 for operating it in the other direction.The bolt 4 is adapted to engage in notches 1 in a portion of theperiphery of the base-platel. Mounted on the top of the column 3 onahorizontal pivot 5 is the trap-frame 6, on which larger part of theworking parts of the trap are mounted. The

frame 6 1s provided with an arm 6, extending to the arm 3, and the angleof the frame 6 may be adjusted by changing the position of the pincoupling the arms 3 and 6 toether, there being provided a series of.holes or that purpose, as shown. On a substantially vertical ivot 7 inone end of the frame 6 is mounted t e target-throwing arm 8. This armextends to some little distance on one side of the pivot and carries onits end the target-holding device 9 and is extended to the other side ofthe pivot a comparatively short distance and carries on that end the pinor post 10, afiording a means for attachment of one end of the mainspring 11. The other end of the main sprin 11 is attached to a slidingbar 12, mounte in bearing 13 and 14 on the frame 6 to slidelongitudinally a limited distance. The spring 11 willslide the bar 12 inone directionnamely, toward the right, as shown in Fig. 2and for movingthe bar in the opposite direction to a set position there is provided alever 15, forked at its u er end to receive the bar 12, pivoted to t eame 6 at 16 and havin attached at its lower end the o crating c ain orcable 17. The upper forke end of the lever 15 is ada ted to engage witha cross-pin 18, provide in the end of the sliding bar 12. For securingthe spring-bar 12 in its set position with the spring 11 under tensionthere is provided a catch 19 in the form of a bell-crank lever, pivotedat 20 to the end of the frame 6. One arm of the'catch is adapted toengage in a notch in the side of the bar 12, particularly as shown inFigs. 4 and 8, and it is operated into engaging position in said notchby means of a spring 21. For tripping the catch 19 there is provided arock-shaft 22, mounted in suitable bearings at each end of and extendingsubstantially the full-length of the frame 6. This shaft has on one enda pin or projection 22, adapted to en a e with the catch 19. At theopposite en t e shaft 22 also has a projection 22. On the lower end ofthe pivot or shaft 7 of the throwing-arm, which is fixed in thethrowing-arm and rotates therewith, is a projecting trip-finger 23. Thistrip-finger is secured to the shaft 7, so as to move with the arm 8 andis adapted to engage the projection 22 on the shaft 22. For securing thethrowing-arm 8 in starting or set osit'ion there is provided a catch 24,pivoted to the frame and'having the engaging shoulder or part thrownupinto' operative position by means of the spring '26. For disengagingthe catch 24 there is provided a longitudinally-moving rod 27, mountedin a bearing 28 on the frame 6 and secured at one end to thesetting-lever 15. At the other end the tripping-rod 27 is provided witha latch or catch 29, the operative end of which is adapted to engagewith a pin or shoulder in the throwing-arm catch 24.

The target-holder consists of a main plate 40 of the form shownparticularly in Figs. 1 1 and 12 and carrying a parallel bar or piece41, supported at a little distance therefrom by means of the posts orcolumns 42 and 43. Thisspace is provided for the insertion of the ed eof the target T, which is of the common disi or saucer form. The body ofthe target-holder is ivoted to the end of the throwing-a'rm 8, t e samebeing mounted on an elongated pivot 44 and provided with a stiif s ring45 to increase the friction between t e target-holder and the end of thearm. Pivoted to the body of the target-holder at 46 andprojectingtherefrom in a direction to give a' general Y shape to thewhole is the holding-arm 47, rovided on its outer end witha cylindricafprojection 48, adapted to engage one edge of the target, as shownparticularly in Fig. 10. For drawing in the arm 47 toward the otherbranch of the holder there is provided a spring 49, mounted on aprojecting end of the rod 50, which asses throu h an opening in the post43 an is attache at 51 to the arm 47.

51 is an upright post on the arm 47 and also rovides a pivot for thecatch 60. The catch has a notch 61, which when the catch is in positionto permit it will receive the base of the post 43. The catch 60 isthrown into engaginr position by a spring 62 and is provided witaprojecting arm 63, adapted to engage with one edge of the target wheninserted in the space between the parts 40 and 41 of the target-holderbody or frame.

For holding the target-holder substantially in line with the arm 8 whenviewed fromthe top there is provided a spring 65, preferably of wire,secured at one end to the target-holder frame and at the other to thearm 8 and also preferably taking several turns around the pivot 44. Theoperation of the device as thus far described may be briefly given asfollows: Startingwith the device in the position shown in Fi 1, with atarget in the targetholder, the t owing-:arm 8 is first tripped bydrawing on the chain 17. This is accomplished by the tripping-rod 27drawing the catch 29 against the catch 24, retiring it (24) sufficientlyto free the throwing-arm 8. When so freed, the throwing-arm makes, arapid outward movement, as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, andwhen in a 13081 tion substantially diametrical opposite from that inwhich it is shown in Fig. 2 the tar et is delivered, having. escapedfrom the hol' er 1 in a manner which will later be described. In makingthis outward movement the tripping-finger 23 passes the projection 22,rocking the shaft 22, but in the direction which accomplishes no result.Having delivered the target and passed the dead-center, the momentum ofthe arm tends to carry it around the circle; but it is finally broughtto stop by the spring 11, which is again placed under tension to someextent. The arm 8 not being caught at this time swings back under theinfluence of spring 11 for the mechanism hereinafter described the arm 8after vibrating backward and forward would finally come to a standstill,with the arm 8 projecting substantially in the direction of the lengthof the frame 6, but in a very undesirable position for reloading andwhere it would need to be reset by hand by the loader; but when the arm8 makes the backv ward swing the trip-finger 23 enga es with theprojection 22', which operates t e'rockshaft 22 and trips the catch 19,releasing the bar 12 and allowing it to move toward the spring 11 andreleasing the spring 11 from tension. This occurs at a time when thethrowing-arm is, already making its return movement, and its momentum(the tension on spring 11 being released) will be sufiicient to carry itaround to its starting position, where it is caught by the catch 24. Allthese movements just described take place in the small fraction of asecond and while the operator still continues to move the lever 15through the medium of the chain 1'7. The

in the end of the spring-bar 12, and the continued movement of the lever15 draws out toward the left, as shown in Fig. 1, the springbar 12 untilit is caught again by the catch 19, and the spring is thus againimmediately placed under tension ready for a succeeding throwingoperation. When the. setting-lever 15 is released, it, together with thechain or cable 17 is returned to starting position by the spring- 70.The arm 8 cannot d8, scribe a complete circle in either directionwithout striking the spring 11, which in case of imperfect adjustment orotherwise will serve as a cushioning stop for the arm. In throwing, thetarget escapes from the holder by reason of centrifugal force, passingout or forcing its way out throughthe contracted space between theholding projection 48 on the arm 47 and the opposite ,arm of the holderconsisting of parts 40 and 41. In so doing it opens the arm 47 to aposition where the notch 61 in the catch 60 comes opposite the post 43-.The catch is then thrown into locking position by the spring 62,securing the arm 47 in its open position. This leaves the holder in aposition to be readily reloaded without effort of opening the arm 47. Inloading the loader inserts the edge lever 15 immediately engages withthe pin 18 toward its starting position, and were it not of the targetin the space between the parts and 41, engages it with the arm 63 of thecatch 60, and as the target is forced into position it trips the catch60 and allows the holding projection 48 to come forward and grasp thetar et in the usual manner.

The evice is arranged toeither throw the targets in the same directioncontinuously or at what is known as known angles, or it is arranged todeliver the tar ets by chance at unknown angles. When t e trap is to beset to throw at known angles, the position of the frame will be adjustedaccordingly by rotating it around the post 3 as a center, and then thebolt 4 will be allowed to engage with the base 1, securing it in thatposition,where it may be operated as much as desired. Also it may beadjusted to another fixed position by releasing the catch 4 by means ofthe le ver 4 and rotating it to another position, where it may again besecured.

In case the trap is to be used at what is known as unknown angles thebolt 4 will be held out of enga ing position with the base 1 by tying upt e bolt-operating lever 4 to the handle on the lever 3 immediatelyabove it. The arm or lever 3 is connected to a hatchet-pulley 71 by aconnecting-rod 72. The ratchet-pulley 71 is mounted .on a vertical ivot73 on a fixed foundation or base, an the ratchet part is adapted to beengaged by a pawl 74, mounted on the foundation or base and providedwith a spring for throwing it into engaging position. The

teeth of the ratchet are irregular in size and arrangement, as will benoted by reference to Fig. 2. The operating chain or cable 17,heretofore mentioned, passes from the lower end of lever 15 over acarrying-pulley 75, supported on the parts 6 and 3, thence aroundapulley 76, mounted on a vertical shaft or support, under the base 1, andthence around the pulley portion of the ratchet-pulley 71 and thence toa suitable operating-lever or pull device 77, arran ed at or near theshooters position. It will e noted that the operation of these parts issubstantially as follows: When the operator draws on the chain 17 byoperating the lever 7 7, the friction of the chain around theratchet-pulley 71 will rotate it in the directionin which it is free torotate, and it will be more or less promptly caught by the pawl 74. Whenthe pull on the chain 17 is released and the chain is returned by thespring 70, it will slip in the return movement around the ratchet-pulley71 more or less. Thus the ratchet-pulley is rotated with more or lessuncertainty in one the catch 4 will be held out of operation by When thetying up the handle 4 thereof. trap is used at known angles, as beforementioned, the connecting-rod 72 will preferably be disconnected fromthe lever-arm 3 by displacin it from pivot-pin.

It Wlll be noted that the trap is first tripped and then reset by anoperator at or near the shooters position, while the loader at the traphas only to reload it, which he easily and conveniently does by reasonof the targetholder being always automatically'returned to the setposition, with the holder in open position. With this trap targets canbe thrown with very great rapidity and comparatively little labor eitherby the operator or the loader.

It is evident that numerous changes and modification may be made in andfrom the construction herein described without departing from the spiritof my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a target-holder for throwing-traps the combination of a frame anda spring-actuated arm and a catch arranged to secure the arm in openposition and be enga ed and tripped 'by the target when inserte in theholder, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a target-throwing trap mounted on a verticalpivot to be angularly adjusted and having an operating chain or cablepassing therefrom, of an angleadjusting mechanism consisting of aratchetpulley around which the chain or cable is passed, a pawl engagingwith said ratchetpulley and a connecting-rod between a crankpin on thepulley and the target-throwing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have aflixe'd my signature, in. presence of twowitnesses, this 25th day of July, 1904.

ELIJAH D. FULFORD.

Witnesses:

M. E. ROBINSON, EMMA S. HESSE.

ICC

